Briggs and Stratton Briggs & Stratton 5550 Watt Extended Run Generator - 30241

a no frills generator

Strengths: Large gas tank with good run time, cast iron cylinder, solid no flat tires, simple design.

Weaknesses: single speed - no'low idle' when no/low load, no 'low oil' detection, no power cord included, questionable voltage regulation

Summary: After the ice storm here in New England this winter (07) I was on the lookout for a generator. I found a terrific deal ($499 with free shipping) so I had to jump on it.

It arrived via light freight truck - it was boxed and in good shape. A little simple assembly is required such as installing the axle and tires, the front 'legs', and the handle. A bit confusing, you need to remove one of the engine mount bolts to attach the leg with it.

You must add engine oil and it comes with a quart of SAE30 grade. However the engine manual strongly recommends the use of fully synthetic oil instead. Furthermore, to run this at cold temps you must use 5W30 so the supplied oil could not be used. If you get a quart of full synthetic 5W30 you'll be all set for all temperatures.

The first start took many pulls though it may have needed time for the newly added gas to work it's way down for the first time. It runs loud but not as loud as I had thought it would be given the previous reviews.

There is a top-hinged, semi-transparent plastic cover over all the entire outlet pannel. I plugged in a Kill-a-watt voltage meter and found the output at no load to be 130V at 63Hz which I thought was high, making me wonder if this is out of spec (no electrical specs are listed other than Amps/watt output). I may have to call the company and ask.

I look at it as a simple, no-frills generator. Basically I think it will fulfull it's purpose as an emeregency generator once I get the transfer panel wired up. (It comes with no power cord).

100% of People (1/1) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Briggs and Stratton 5550

Strengths: Plenty of power, good fuel life.

Weaknesses: noisy, but most generators are.

Summary: The Briggs and Stratton 5550 has been a welcome addition in my home. I have a major flooding problem in my basement and when the power goes out, the sump pump goes with it. There is plenty of power to run the pump, plus my fridge and some lights. I haven't experienced a major outage for days at a time, but I will be well prepared if and when it happens.

0% of People (0/1) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Solid Inexpensive Emergency Generator

Strengths: Solid Build, Inexpensive, Not too hard to transport

Weaknesses: No power cord.

Summary: This is a hard review for me to write at this point. I may come back and update this after I've had a chance to actually use it under load. First impressions: Seems well built, It was kind of hard to start the first time, but that's not surprising, a little loud, but anyone that's been around one on a jobsite expects that. I didn't measure power output, but it's rating is sufficient to power my home on an emergency basis (I've always heard the diesels are better for extended use - but try getting one of those for $499). A word on that, though - This IS NOT all that you will need to safely power your home. You should also use a Power Transfer Switch (around $299). They also recommend that you have the switch installed by a license electrician.

Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Solid but Noisy

Strengths: Solid generator well constructed with larger gas tank

Weaknesses: a bit noisier than expected but when in an emergency everyone else is running theirs

Summary: we have had too many power outages so my wife demanded this so I grabbed this. we are happy to have it as backup. Got it home added the oil and gas and turned on the first crank. easy mobility. note: there is no cord included with the product

Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Emergency - Standby Generator

Strengths: Low cost, compared to similar generators. Easy to start. Good owner's manual, which lists Briggs & Stratton parts numbers needed for normal maintenance.

Weaknesses: Even with an oversized muffler, it is very loud.

Summary: This is a good generator to have available for emergency or standby use. It provides adequate power to supply most household needs in an emergency situation. It has 4 120 volt, 20 amp outlets and 1 240 volt, 30 amp outlet.

The owner's manual recommends running the generator for 30 minutes every 7 dsys. This may be inconvenient, but necessary to be sure the generator will start and run properly when needed in an emergency.

Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Awesome generator

Strengths: long run time, not too loud

Weaknesses: heavy, doesn't come with a power cord

Summary: This generator is one of the best for the mid range market. The gas tank is larger than some of the others, offering a 13 hour 50% load run time off 7 gallons. The engine is a Briggs and Stratton so it's not quiet like a Honda but costs a lot less. I wish it came with a heavy duty generator cord, as they are usually over $60. The generator provides quite a bit of starting power for the money. It handled my essentials and the neighbor's with no problem at all.

Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.